Founders Academy

Summary:

Founders Academy is a public charter middle school located in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 153 students. The school is part of the Beacon Charter School District, which is ranked 38 out of 59 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Founders Academy faces significant challenges compared to nearby schools. The school has a more diverse student population, with a higher percentage of minority students, but its academic performance, as measured by RICAS test scores, is significantly lower than the state and surrounding school averages. In the 2022-2023 school year, the school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts (13.8%) and Mathematics (5.7%) were well below the state averages of 31.9% and 25.7%, respectively. Additionally, Founders Academy has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, with 47.06% of students qualifying in the 2022-2023 school year, which is significantly higher than the surrounding schools. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Rhode Island middle schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger in the 2022-2023 school year, placing it 52nd out of 64 middle schools in the state.

The nearby schools, such as Blackstone Valley Prep Upper E, Blackstone Valley Prep Junior High, and Vincent J. Gallagher Middle, have significantly higher academic performance and rankings compared to Founders Academy. These schools serve student populations with varying levels of economic disadvantage, suggesting that factors beyond just socioeconomic status may be contributing to Founders Academy's underperformance. The school's persistent underperformance, coupled with its high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, suggests a need for targeted interventions and support to improve student outcomes and close the achievement gap with the surrounding schools.


Detail:

Public, Charter 6-8

 1 Social Street
       Woonsocket, RI  02895


(401) 671-6261

District: Beacon Charter School

SchoolDigger Rank:
52nd of 64 Rhode Island Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,049 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  14.5 Help
Number of students:  153

Racial breakdown:

White:
42.5%
Hispanic:
34.0%
African American:
12.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  47.1% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Founders Academy ranks worse than 81.3% of middle schools in Rhode Island. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 14.46. (See more...)
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Student population at Founders Academy is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (42.5%), Hispanic (34%), African American (12.4%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 47.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Founders Academy is 14.5. (See more...)
Help
Compare Founders Academy employs 10.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Founders Academy is $10,049.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Founders Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Founders Academy 52nd of 64 Rhode Island public middle schools. (See Founders Academy in the ranking list.)

Beacon Charter School:

SchoolDigger ranks Beacon Charter School 38th of 59 Rhode Island school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Founders Academy

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools RI State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.95 41st 53 22.6%
2019 16.65 47th 61 23.0%
2021 19.89 43rd 62 30.6%
2022 23.42 41st 60 31.7%
2023 14.46 52nd 64 18.8%
See the entire list of Rhode Island Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Rhode Island Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Founders Academy Test Scores
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Grades: 
  
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Data source: Rhode Island Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Founders Academy

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2016 28 2 0 9 0 0 5 0 44
2017 57 6 2 15 1 0 9 0 90
2018 86 10 3 22 1 0 12 0 134
2019 81 12 2 29 0 1 14 0 139
2020 86 13 1 37 0 0 11 0 148
2021 91 15 2 43 0 0 9 0 160
2022 77 22 4 44 1 0 12 0 160
2023 65 19 3 52 1 0 13 0 153

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Founders Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2016 44 4.0 11.0 52.3
2017 90 10.0 9.0 48.9
2018 134 11.2 11.9 40.3
2019 139 11.0 12.6 48.2
2020 148 14.0 10.5 48
2021 160 11.7 13.6 52.5
2022 160 12.5 12.8 31.3
2023 153 10.5 14.5 47.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Founders Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2016 44 4.0 11.0 52.3
2017 90 10.0 9.0 48.9
2018 134 11.2 11.9 40.3
2019 139 11.0 12.6 48.2
2020 148 14.0 10.5 48
2021 160 11.7 13.6 52.5
2022 160 12.5 12.8 31.3
2023 153 10.5 14.5 47.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Founders Academy

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018 $530 (5.4%) $9,265 (94.6%) $9,795
2019 $461 (4.3%) $10,182 (95.7%) $10,644
2020 $623 (6.1%) $9,638 (93.9%) $10,261
2021 $1,284 (12.8%) $8,766 (87.2%) $10,049

Data source: Rhode Island Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Founders Academy

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 47th of 61 Middle schoolsRanks 52nd of 64 Middle schools
 4.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Founders Academy)17.417
 0.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Beacon Charter School)17.417
 0.4%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)39.131.9
 7.2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Founders Academy)17.415.1
 2.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Beacon Charter School)17.415.1
 2.3%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)2827.4
 0.6%
7th Grade Mathematics (Founders Academy)14.95.7
 9.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Beacon Charter School)14.95.7
 9.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)27.625.7
 1.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Founders Academy)23.99.4
 14.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Beacon Charter School)23.99.4
 14.5%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Rhode Island)36.332.2
 4.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Founders Academy)6.59.4
 2.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Beacon Charter School)6.59.4
 2.9%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Rhode Island)24.520.8
 3.7%
All Grades English Language Arts (Founders Academy)14.513.8
 0.7%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Beacon Charter School)14.513.8
 0.7%
All Grades Mathematics (Founders Academy)12.98.8
 4.1%
   All Grades Mathematics (Beacon Charter School)138.8
 4.2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students139153
 10.1%
African American1219
 58.3%
American Indian01
Asian23
 50%
Hispanic2952
 79.3%
Pacific Islander10
 100%
White8165
 19.8%
Two or More Races1413
 7.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients48.2%47.1%
 1.1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Founders Academy

Students at Founders Academy are 42% White, 34% Hispanic, 12% African American, 8% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Founders Academy ranks in the bottom 18.8% of Rhode Island middle schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 153 students attended Founders Academy.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Rhode Island Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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